Wednesday 29 August 2012

Ahead of schedule

Yes! I've finally finished re-writes on The Novel. Not the final redrafting or anything, but possibly the middle stage. Thank the Heavens! I didn't think I was going to make it before the end of the month!

Well, that's all for now because I now have a million and one things to do before I go to bed now! Always busy!

Sam

Saturday 25 August 2012

Progress for Progress's sake

I set myself a challenge - finish this set of re-writes on The Novel by the end of the month. When I set myself this challenge I had only done re-writes on 2 chapters. I have since made excellent progress. I downloaded a program called Scrivner - I meant to download it last year but put it off. Recently someone I follow on Twitter was raving about it so I decided to give it a go. Well, it's now enabled me to re-write 5 more chapters with such ease I am embarrassed I didn't download it sooner.

If you're a writer I would recommend. It's great for writing novels, any kind of manuscript really, and it has a nifty 'script writing' setting for any budding script writer (which I kind of am and will be studying at some point in the next year of my degree).

I just wanted to share this joyous discovery with you guys because I know a lot of my followers are writing comrades ;)

Also, on a writing note - my local Starbucks is where I like to do some of my writing. The manager, who is also a writer, has informed me of a short story competition run by Costa coffee. Now I know they have their Costa Awards thing, and they pick great books, but this is a really great opportunity for unpublished authors to get their writing into the world. It closes on the 7th september, so not much time to write a 4000 short story, but if you're interested you should check it out HERE.

I don't know if I will have time to enter (plus, short stories are not my forte, I am not that skilled at story telling) but if you write you should definitely check it out!

Sam

Tuesday 21 August 2012

loving/hating Amazon

Because it's so cheap and easy, but sometimes I feel like I'm stealing. Like I'm putting people out of business because this mega internet company undercuts everyone else and it's like school yard bullying.

I mean, I still buy from Amazon, but I wish I could stop...

That is all! :)

Sam

Monday 20 August 2012

Ways to be grown up

Well, I'm not really going to tell you ways to be grown up. There aren't any, are there? But I do feel grown up, having just got home from work, make a loaf of bread from scratch and soup from scratch to boot.

I like trying to be domestic (cooking, I don't clean!) and it makes me feel like I have accomplished something when I manage to not entirely fail at my aims. Cooking is like that for me. Writing will be like that for me if I ever actually manage to sort myself out.

I don't often like blogging on here about writing, feeling it should be put somewhere else, but hey! This is my blog and I think I should talk about it anywhere I so choose :P

I have been implementing re-writes to my manuscript and plan on getting them done by the end of the month... up to chapter 3 so far and only 15 or so more chapters to work through... but I will do it. I like setting myself deadlines because then I actually do stuff, but gosh it's hard to actually fit it all in!

How do you plan things and fit everything in? Suggestions would be appreciated!

Sam
x

Friday 10 August 2012

Reason's why I'm NOT a Scientologist.

Well, I suppose I don't need a reason... but anyway. I really wanted to blog about Scientology because I have been reading up on it and, although I don't like to bash 'religions', I just can't get on board with it in the slightest.

I don't like preachy rants (although sometimes I just can't help myself) and everyone is allowed to believe in whatever they want. I honestly do think that. But... I mean... have you ever read about what Scientology really is? Apart from the fact that it was created by a guy who used to write science fiction and was quoted to have said you'd make more money by setting up your own religion it's just plain bananas!

Scientology teaches that all people are immortal.. no, that's the wrong choice of words. I suppose you could say we have immortal souls which drift from body to body as we die - you know, like reincarnation. And it's the scientologists job to learn their true nature. They go through this kind of therapy once they reach a certain stage in the religion called 'auditing' where they are hooked up to a machine and encouraged to remember and relive past experiences which were traumatic or particularly painful -  this is supposed to have the effect of freeing themselves of the effects of the past trauma. A purge of the soul, if you will.

Due to this believing all of their followers are old souls constantly being recycled in order to ascertain their true nature, to gain enlightenment, they believe that children should be treated as adults because they are spiritually experienced in mind if not in body (yet)...

I guess it's kind of poetic and spiritual in a way, like most religions are -when you look at the core elements of any religion the main purpose is to offer security and give people faith that there is a greater power etc. And I like the fact that they are trying to understand their purpose. We all are... why they think they can actually achieve it is beyond me. I mean, isn't the not knowing why we're here part of the fun? Once you know, what do you have left? Just life? Bo-ring. I want some mystery, I want to strive to not understand anything because I have a feeling if anyone did understand the universe they'd realise it's just a load of atoms and quarks making whoopie and they'd die of dissapointment.

Wait... I lost my train of thought... oh right. People say it's a cult. And yes. It does seem that way - if you read up on it (I have read quite a bit, but I'm not going to regurgitate it on here) there are some troubling facts that just don't sit right with me. Not only where the religion stemmed from, but the extremes to which people take it. Like many things in this world extremists ruin what should be good in the world and it really makes me sad.

I don't follow any one religion; people always frown at me when I talk about religion because of this; but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate it and it doesn't mean I don't find it really interesting. I love religion and what it does for people but can you really call Scientology a religion just because it has millions of 'followers'... Kim Kardashian has millions of followers on Twitter, but she's not a religious icon. She probably could be, then she could claim tax exemption and never have to pay for anything again... wait a second. Maybe this guy had it right all along... start your own religion... now there's an idea....

Peace out, homies!

Tuesday 7 August 2012

Kill the Bat Man

Yes. I have seen Batman... twice. What? I like batman films, Ok?

What I'm really doing here is procrastinating because I have to go for a run and I don't wanna. But I will because I told my boyfriend I was going to be a superhero and now I have to train. My tactics will be avoidance- based. I don't want to fight people, so I'm going to build up my running and my upper body strength so if faced with a criminal I can hit them really hard - hopefully slowing them down - and then I'll outrun them.

I'll probably be called something like Bed Bug, because they get you, but you can never find the damn things to get them back! Holllaaaaaa!

IN other news, yes I did like Batman. A lot. I love Uncle Alfred (I always call him that ever since Alecia Silverstone squealed it in her incredibly indecent catholic school uniform), he was the best. He can literally make me cry with just a look! And I loved Bane... there's actually more to that than then film though as I had a dream about Tom Hardy and we were madly in love and when I woke up I've loved him ever since. listen to me. I say this like it's been on going for ever. This was last week. But it's ok, because my boyfriend said if I was going to leave him for anyone it would be ok for it to be Tom Hardy because he's amazing. Yes... if anyone knows Mr. Hardy please send him my way. Look, I'm just saying that we really hit it off in my dream and he even tried to save me from drowning.... it was a strange dream.

I've done a good enough job at putting off the inevitable and this blog has turned into something I didn't expect. Here's a picture of Bane for you to shake in your boots at. I honestly thought he was terrifying in that film. Why is he so big and strong? (I don't know, but my eyes aren't complaining).



If he ever needs another hostage... well... no, Sam, you've taken this too far now. Pervert. 

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Announcements and what not!

Well, not announcements per say, but kind of... I'm tired so I don't really know what words are spilling from my fingertips right now.

Oh yeah, that was it... sorry, just got really distracted by how much the veins in my hands/fingers are sticking out. They don't usually, so I'm taking it as a sign of needing to sleep :P

I passed my 2nd year of uni! Woohoo! actually passed my exam - got about 61% I think, which for me is a freaking miracle because I just don't do well in exams. So I'll take it! In my final creative writing thing I got a 69, which sucks being 1 point off a 70, but oh well. I'll take what I can get at this point.

Feeling quite proud of myself really so thought I'd share. I've not been up to THAT much recently and blogging hasn't seemed nessesary. Which isn't the point of a blog, I know, but sometimes I feel like if I have nothing to report it's pointless and no one will want to read it! I have redecorated my room and it's finally ALL done, apart from my needing to now clean it all up and actually put things away rather than live with boxes of stuff all around me. Which I don't mind, but apparently it's driving other people crazy. Bah. So I'll tidy up soon and post pictures. I'm quite proud, as I did about 90% of the work myself; wallpapering and putting furniture together. I find it quite enjoyable so it's nice.

In other unrelated news I have had a move around at work and I'm now... drum roll.... full time. Again. Urgh. I want the money but I can't tell you how tired I am just from working 3 days in a row. You forget how hard it is using your brain for that long a time without a break, and 2 day weekends are a killer, but it's a nessessary evil I know. It will all pay off as I'll be able to save up enough money to keep me going whilst I try to carve out some sort of writing career. I've finished the rewrites in my novel so I've just got to implement them on my computer, then re-read the whole thing again and then I think I'm heading for a bit of restructuring and more re-writes, but on a whole I think I'm on the right track. I enjoy it, so that's the main thing I suppose!

I would blog about the Olympics but I'm not really that into them. I like the gymnastics but other than that I don't watch The Sports. Sorry! :P Hope everyone is enjoying them though!

I'll be back with random blogs I'm sure. I need to get back into the swing of putting pictures and what not in here to make it more visually exciting...

Laters!

Sam

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